Throughout 2009, RI met actively with State Department officials and Congressional appropriators to encourage greater aid for the Burmese people. Because of our leadership on this issue, Congress provided some $36 million for democracy and humanitarian programs largely inside Burma, a major shift in U.S. policy that had previously limited the amount of humanitarian funding available for people inside Burma.
Monday, December 31, 2012
'Massage uncle' is back -- and women still can't leave him alone
This article was contributed by the STOMP Team.
The 'massage uncle' that has become such a hit with Singaporeans is back with a hilarious sequel.
In the first ad, the masseur had talked about his woes, and complained that he would prefer a desk job.
In the sequel, he has secured a desk job, but he's still unhappy -- because his reputation as a masseur has preceded him, and pretty girls now flock to him on their own.
The video was copied from a ad that originally aired in France.
Check out all three versions of the ad below.What a copycat! See how local advertisers blatantly steal creative ideas.
What a copycat! See how local advertisers blatantly steal creative ideas
A video advertisement for a job-search website seems to have copied the idea of an overseas commercial. Both the original and local advertisements show a massage therapist for models lamenting about his job.
The masseur talks about his woes, and complains that he would like to do a desk job one day.
The humour in the both advertisements stem from the fact that despite massaging models for a vocation, the massage therapists still dislike their jobs.
The local ad, however, seems to have directly copied the idea.
Even the dialogue and the scenes look similar to the original.
Do local advertisers lack originality to the point where they start stealing ideas?
Click on thumbnails for larger image
Ref:Stomp
Sunday, December 30, 2012
NOT PROFITEERING. BUT POLITICKING?
THEREALSINGAPORE Wed, 12/26/2012 - 18:35
Social media has been abuzz with questions relating to the role of Action Information Management Pte Ltd in the leaseback agreement with 14 PAP Town Councils. There have been suggestions by some netizens that there should be a CPIB investigation and other suggestions that AIM is but an example of profiteering at the expense of citizens.
Based on information that is so far available:
1. The 3 directors of AIM are PAP members. Two of those 3 are also shareholders of AIM
2. Dr Teo Ho Pin, the coordinating chairman is reported to have claimed that AIM is a PAP owned company. (technically, the company is owned by Chandra Das and Lau Ping Sum and not PAP, the political party.)
3. The company has a paid up capital of $2.
4. Dr Teo has stated that there was a tender process for the sale and leaseback of the computer systems and that only AIM made a bid even though there were 5 companies that collected the forms.
5. Dr Teo also confirmed that only the software was sold to AIM at $140,000 and the terms of the leaseback was for the Town Councils to pay $785 per month per Town Council.
6. Chandra Das (Director of AIM) has stated that he and his fellow directors do not receive any directors' remuneration.
7. It has also been confirmed that the original service provider (NCS) that developed and maintained the system for the 14 Town councils is still providing the services under the leaseback arrangement as AIM has engaged NCS to maintain and develop the system.
I am going to take all the facts above as true and accept Dr Teo and Mr Chandra Das' statements as true. In fact, I am going to give Mr Chandra Das the benefit of the doubt. Let us assume that the shareholders of AIM have not and will not be given any dividend. AIM has entered into a transaction that is clearly profitable. However, the Directors do not get any remuneration and the shareholders do not get any dividends. In such an arrangement, there is a potential for profits to accumulate year on year. What is going to be done with these profits eventually?
A quick calculation of the rate of returns has alerted many people to the possibility of profiteering by AIM. But, I do not think that this is an instance of profiteering. After all, AIM has engaged NCS to maintain and develop the system. In all likelihood, the $785 per month per Town Council is entirely channeled towards payments to be made to NCS as the service provider. There is a high probability that AIM (having, presumably, no skilled personnel or infrastructure) is a middle man that is not deriving any profit at all.
This is a leaseback arrangement that probably produces no profit for AIM and one where NCS continues to be the ultimate service provider at arguably more or less the same rate as before the leaseback. After accepting Chandra Das' assertion as true and giving further benefit of the doubt so as to remove any suggestion of impropriety, we have to render the leaseback agreement as a zero profit venture for AIM.
Why would a company go through a tender process and choose to make no profit at all unless there was some other purpose for the transaction? I suspect that this transaction had nothing to do with profiteering and everything to do with politicking. Nothing illegal. Just dirty politics.
The new contract with AIM containing the termination clause in the event of change in management was most probably intended to frustrate opposition parties in the event that a Town Council management ended up in the hands of the opposition. Given the fact that Town Council management runs parallel to the seats won by MPs, the possibility of a change in management is always going to be inevitable. The termination clause was probably inserted in anticipation of electoral defeat in some constituencies. Probably.
Anyway, for good measure, in order to eliminate the possibility of profits being made by AIM, I tried to do an online search through ACRA for the audited accounts of AIM. This is what I found
The Annual Returns (AR) filed by the company is without accounts. I didn't bother clicking through to purchase the AR. I backtracked to look at the business profile of the company that is available here
AIM is an Exempt Private Company. There is thus no legal requirement for Audited accounts to be filed at the registry.
The PAP has to come forward and give a proper detailed explanation on this whole transaction before the online speculations grow completely out of hand. As it stands there are questions being thrown around as to the propriety of the tender process and the profits possibly being made by AIM. With social media setting the agenda on this issue and MSM playing catch-up and the Town Councils and AIM being patchy with information, there is an urgent need for thorough explanation.
What a way to end the year!
*Article first appeared on http://article14.blogspot.com
Ref;therealsingapore
WAKE THE F**K UP, SINGAPORE!
HEREALSINGAPORE Sun, 12/30/2012 - 06:57
[Warning: this blog write-up contains obscene words. Readers be advised.]
My final standpoint is that Singapore is a great place to go on holiday to – sunshine, beaches, great food. But it is one of the worst places to work in (and thus live in, since you need to work to sustain yourself, duh) in the world.
I’ve had enough of this fucking parade of egos, moral righteous asses and self justified fucks.
I’ve had enough of job interviews.
Yes, I’ve been lucky. Yes I’ve aced almost every interview I’ve been to and been offered a fuck load of jobs. But no, I’m not happy about it. After this past fortnight of nightmarish interviews, I am now convinced the only reason I am here is because my family is here.
I can’t make films because the government is made of conservative cunts who censor all the good shit and banned the only local made film which has been decent (15 by Royston Tan). And all the other so-called independent productions companies are not independent because they’re all linked and commissioned by Mediacorp. And Mediacorp, the SOLE broadcasting company in Singapore is a government company. How fucking great. Is it just me or does anyone else see how damned ridiculous this whole situation is? Singapore is a joke. Our press and our media are monopolies owned by the government- How the FUCK are we ever going to achieve a free press and freedom of speech/expression status?
So yes, I can make films, but nobody will help me or give me the money because they are either (A) the Government or (B) too Fucking Scared of the Government. I’ll make my films still. I’ll make films with a camcorder and no lights and no equipment and no money, but I’ll make films where nobody in the fucking world can censor my content or tell me where the fuck the moral of the story should be in my plot. SO FUCK OFF.
I’ve gone for interviews where someone has:
1) Used his age against me to win an argument. I.e. I’m older than you and have a successful career whereas you haven’t proven yourself therefore your opinion (on this unrelated issue) is wrong. HELLO, THIS IS 21ST CENTURY SINGAPORE, WE ARE NO LONGER IN ANCIENT CHINA WHERE ELDERS AUTOMATICALLY GET RESPECT WITHOUT EARNING IT.
2) Used the fact I’ve studied and worked overseas against me. I.e. You can’t fit into the culture because you have been westernised and Singaporeans value efficiency whereas Western people are too laidback and unproductive. Also, there is the whole “How do you think your white boyfriend will impact on your image and lifestyle?” – YES THIS HAS COME UP IN INTERVIEWS 3 TIMES
3) (This point applies to all of them) Made me fill in an application form asking about my religion, marital status and intrusive details about my family such as their names and where they are working or studying. These forms weren’t as part of an equal opportunities form. And no, Singapore has no equal opportunities principles either. When I refused to fill it in, I realised I couldn’t cite the right to private life or freedom of religion as a reason, because SINGAPORE HAS NO FUCKING HUMAN RIGHTS. I got told off by a few people for adamantly not filling it in.
4) Interrupted me while I am speaking all the time. I fucking hate that. If you love the sound of your own voice so much why call it an interview? Why not call it a talk from the start, so I don’t even bother to speak at all?
5) Made assumptions about my values based on me being a Girl Scout in High School. Yes, there were assumptions I had good values, but then again, the good values were defined by him, and values are subjective. Also, I hate it when people make assumptions about your character based on the ecological fallacy (logical fallacy using stats of a group to define an individual in the world). I am an individual and I have my own values and I will not be defined by the fact I went camping and sang songs around the campfire.
6) Told me that if work clashed with my boyfriend’s birthday for example, I must put the job first. Are you fucking kidding me? When you are so short-staffed / have such poor management you cannot let employees off for important events like family / good friends / boyfriend’s birthdays, you need to reexamine your company structure and hire more staff to cover, NOT threaten your prospective employee during the interview that she MUST put work force. Go fuck off and kill yourselves please.
Wake up the fuck, Singapore. We can’t call ourselves a developed country when people still barge into you when you try to leave the lifts, trains or buses. That’s uncivilised barbaric behaviour. We can’t call ourselves a leading nation in politics when all we have is a dictatorship and we piss every country off by killing their people when they come in with drugs. We can’t call ourselves a leading nation in the economy when the only reason the economy is so successful is because we piss on the poor and our ministers are higher paid than President Obama. We can’t call ourselves leaders in international issues when we don’t even have fucking human rights.
Singapore is definitely a pitstop. A fucking short one if I can help it. And if any fucking person wants to bitch about how I am ungrateful and disloyal to my country, I’d say fuck off. Loyalty is earned. What has my government done for me? Fuck all. My parents fought for every single cent they got in this capitalist work environment, they paid for my medical bills, they paid for my school fees, NOT THE GOVERNMENT. Certain teachers in school inspired me to think and shaped my character. These were individuals who inspired and helped bring me up in the world through their unique views which didn’t conform to convention, not the school academic syllabus, and certainly NOT THE GOVERNMENT. A good government doesn’t need emotional blackmail to get its citizens to stay. And now it is griping about how the best talents leave, has it stopped to wonder why? It’s because not everyone can stand to live in a dictatorial draconian country, especially when they have been exposed to the benefits and necessity of free speech, media and press. Singapore is the only country in the world I know who has legitimised corruption.
Yes, I have great affection for Singapore (THE LAND) because I grew up here with many fond memories. But one cannot be citizen in a country where they cannot respect the government. The government is the influencing factor which determines social culture, politics, human rights (or lack of). So yes, I have tried to be happy in Singapore. And to a great extent I am, with my family, my good friends, and the sunshine. But I cannot bring myself to work in, and therefore pay taxes to a government I don’t trust or respect.
Maybe Paul and I will be in New York by Christmas.
.
Melissa Low
* The author is a writer and film & theatre director and producer. She blogs at http://milomel.blogspot.com.
Ref;realsingapore
WHAT WE DO? BURMA
Burma
Overview
After more than five decades of military rule, Burma's new government is undertaking high-level policy reforms in its desire to emerge from international isolation. Since the nominally civilian government came to power in March 2011, the Parliament has passed a number of laws which have allowed public demonstrations, and liberalized restrictions on the media, the Internet, and trade unions. Nobel Peace Prize winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her party have been allowed to re-register and will run in the by-elections in April 2012. Despite the progressive rhetoric, the implementation of these policies will be a long-term effort, requiring the support of the international community.
Until the devastation of Cyclone Nargis in 2008, international assistance to Burma was extremely limited. While the UK and the European Union have increased funding in recent years, the U.S. has provided minimal humanitarian assistance inside the country. Burma receives an average of less than $5 in international assistance per person – compared with $48 per capita for Cambodia, and $66 per capita for Laos. It is now time for the U.S. government to capitalize on the reforms and significantly increase humanitarian assistance and support the growing capacity of local civil society actors.
Current Humanitarian Situation
Despite the promise of reforms, humanitarian needs persist. An estimated 500,000 people are displaced by conflict in eastern Burma and another 800,000 Muslims in western Burma, known as the Rohingya, are stateless and lack the most basic of human rights. On June 3, 2012, inter-communal violence erupted between the Rakhine and the Rohingya communities, which quickly evolved into large-scale, state-sponsored violence against the Rohingya. Rohingya who subsequently fled were denied refuge by Bangladesh, and urgent measures must be taken to protect this vulnerable population. A number of conflicts with ethnic armed groups also persist, and have forced approximately 3 million Burmese to flee to neighboring countries. The government will need to invest significant political effort to translate various ceasefires with these groups into sustainable peace. For refugees from eastern Burma, return to their homes may not be realized due to the extensive use of landmines by all parties to the conflict.
Field Reports
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10/30/2012Despite an abundance of natural resources, Rakhine State is the second-poorest state in Burma. The simmering tension that exists between the Rakhine and stateless Rohingya communities has been stoked by poverty for decades. However, in June 2012 that tension boiled over. What began as inter-communal violence was followed by a wave of state-sponsored persecution of the Rohingya, along with a refusal to allow humanitarian agencies access to the northern part of the state, where the majority of Rohingya live. In October, Rohingya and other Muslim communities were attacked again, resulting in the destruction of thousands of houses, the displacement of tens of thousands of people, and an unknown number of deaths. In the state capital, Sittwe, tens of thousands of displaced Rohingya are now living in segregated, squalid camps outside of town and cut off from their livelihoods. The conflict has brought much-deserved international attention to the long-neglected situation of Burma’s Rohingya. The fact that it is taking place during a period of dramatic change in the country’s governance presents the world with a chance to finally put an end to discrimination against the Rohingya and restore their citizenship.
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10/30/2012For decades, Burmese Rohingya fleeing persecution have sought refuge in Bangladesh. June’s inter-communal violence in Burma’s Rakhine State, as well as subsequent state-sponsored persecution and targeted attacks against Muslim populations, have cast an international spotlight on this neglected population, and offered an opportunity to resolve the status of both stateless Rohingya inside Burma and those Rohingya who are refugees in neighboring countries. This could be an opportunity for Bangladesh to engage fully on this issue and develop its long-awaited refugee policy. Instead, the nation is rallying against the Rohingya by refusing entry to refugees and restricting humanitarian assistance. This response, besides representing a breach of international law, will weaken Bangladesh’s ability to secure international support as discussions of the Rohingya's plight intensify. The governments of Bangladesh and Burma should be engaging in bilateral - and perhaps multilateral - discussions about how to protect the rights of the Rohingya community.
In Depth Reports
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03/11/2009The world community is no longer silent about statelessness. In recent years, countries such as Bangladesh, Estonia, Mauritania, Nepal, and Sri Lanka have made significant strides to protect the rights of stateless persons.
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06/01/2006Burma is experiencing one of the most neglected humanitarian and human rights crises in the world. No less than half a million people are internally displaced in the eastern part of the country and at least one million more have fled to neighboring nations. This report provides an in-depth look at the causes of displacement in Burma, the acute needs of the internally displaced population and the current response to those needs.
Advocacy Letters
Congressional Testimony
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05/22/2008
Successes
Friday, December 28, 2012
Do you know? What life in Singapore?
What's life like in Singappore?
8 Things We Love About Singapore
After three years of living in Singapore, we feel pretty safe in our knowledge of how things work here. A lot has changed since we started calling Singapore "Home", changes in Singapore, and changes in ourselves. Many of our visitors come seeking some insight into what it's like to live in Singapore and why we choose to stay here. Thinking about our experiences here, we came up with 8 things that we love about Singapore. But just as easily, we came up with 8 things we could do without. Hopefully, both these perspectives can help shed some light on Singapore for you.
Ref:-fongnet.net
What's it really like to live in Singapore? ... Good thing is that our govt is emphasising more on work-life bal, so there's more flexi working hours ...
Quality of life is often used as a shorthand for measuring how good one feels about ...Singapore may be the smallest country in Southeast Asia but it has emerged as ....Steps like these have played a vital role in trying to contain the spread of ...
Table Tennis: Singapore's star paddler Li Jiawei retires
SINGAPORE: Table tennis star Li Jiawei has brought the curtains down to her competitive career.
Li, 31, has represented Singapore since 1996, including at four Olympic Games where she won a silver and bronze medal in the women's team event at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games respectively.
The former world No 3 was also part of the team that pulled off a shock win over China to win the 2010 World Team Championship in Moscow.
"I am very grateful to the STTA and to Singapore for the opportunities they have given me and I hope to contribute back to the country in whatever I do in the future," said Li, who is currently 21st in the world rankings.
Also retiring is team-mate Sun Beibei, who was a reserve at the London Games.
The announcement was made by the Singapore Table Tennis Association at its headquarters in Toa Payoh on Thursday.
- TODAY/jc
By Low Lin Fhoong,
Ref:channelnewsasia
8 Things We Love About Singapore
(and 8 We Could Do Without)
After three years of living in Singapore, we feel pretty safe in our knowledge of how things work here. A lot has changed since we started calling Singapore "Home", changes in Singapore, and changes in ourselves. Many of our visitors come seeking some insight into what it's like to live in Singapore and why we choose to stay here. Thinking about our experiences here, we came up with 8 things that we love about Singapore. But just as easily, we came up with 8 things we could do without. Hopefully, both these perspectives can help shed some light on Singapore for you.
What We Love (in no particular order)
1. The Food. American cities like San Francisco and New York brag about having a melting pot of different cultures, and thus, a huge variety of restaurants. But Singapore, in our opinion, has them all beat. Because while Southeast Asian cuisines remain rare in the US, Singapore has them all and in their authentic greatness. Not only is there a variety of restaurants, but Singapore restaurants remain truer to the taste of the home country than, say, Tokyo, where the food is altered more toward Japanese tastes. On any given night when we want to eat out, it's a struggle to decide which of our favorite restaurants we want to go to, or if we'll try something completely new. Our sole lament is that there aren't enough good Mexican restaurants in Singapore; hopefully, someone will hear our plea and open one.
2. Changi International Airport. Singapore like to talk about becoming "world-class" this or "best in the world" at that. For the most part, it's all a load of crap. But when it comes to the airport, Singapore doesn't have to strive to become the best; they already are. There is nothing like coming home to Singapore from a business trip, passing through the ultra-efficient immigration, picking up your luggage in mere minutes after your plane arrives, and getting a taxi after waiting in a queue for less than five minutes. Hey, you even have time to stop off in the Duty Free shop and pick up something, and you'll still be through the airport in less than 30 minutes. Add that together with the range of shops and services to be found, the absence of machine gun toting security guards, and the candy dish at every immigration officers booth, and you've got the airport the world has to beat.
3. Safe Streets. Yes, it's practically a cliche to talk about Singapore as "clean and safe". While I don't necessarily believe the "clean" part anymore (we'll discuss that later), it's hard to dispute the "safe" factor. School children can still walk home by themselves without their parents fearing they will be kidnapped. Women can walk around after dark. There are no bands of roaming gypsy children to pick your pockets. As the Singaporean slogan says, "Low crime doesn't mean no crime.", but low crime is still a lot more than what most cities can say for themselves.
4. Public Transportation. There is sort of a love/hate relationship people have with mass transit, but to be fair, I have to include it as something we love. Now living near a train system, we find it almost unnecessary to take a taxi anymore. The buses go almost anywhere. And the whole system is cheap, cheap, cheap. Of course, there are reasons to hate the public transportation system as well, but we'll go into that later.
5. Proximity to Prime Vacation Areas. Despite the hordes of Japanese and European tourists who believe otherwise, Singapore itself is not a prime vacation destination. On the other hand, getting to a prime vacation spot from Singapore is a short, boat, plane, or bus ride away. To name a few, Bali, Phuket, Langkawi, Tioman, Bintan, and Koh Samui are all less than two hours away. And local travel packages are inexpensive enough that it's easy to make a long weekend out of any of these destinations.
6. Shopping. Given the fact that there's not much to see in Singapore, it's no wonder there are so many places to shop. You can buy almost anything in Singapore, from designer clothes to fake rolexes. And the best thing to buy in Singapore, in our opinion? Electronic goods, which usually come ready to use in any country of the world, which means dual voltage and multi-system. You won't find that in most other places in the world.
7. The Singapore Zoo. If there is one thing that is a "must see" for your visit to Singapore, it's the Zoo. There is a whole story about the Zoo here if you are interested. But let me just say, there are tons of monkeys at the Zoo. Need I say more?
8. Prenatal Care and Delivery. Okay, this is a strange one to include, but since we are having our first child here, we should share that experience as a positive one. I'm sure I will write a complete story after our son is born, but for now, let's just say that the experience has been very positive. Singapore is much more thorough than the US in terms of prenatal monitoring of a baby, and we have heard that the actually delivery process is as comfortable and pleasant and baby deliveries can be. The doctors and nurses we have worked with are friendly and professional. Overall, there may not be a better place in the world to welcome a newborn.
What We Could Do Without (in no particular order)
1. The Proliferation of Portable Phones. The fact that Singapore has the largest percentage of cellular phone users in the world may be wonderful news for the telecom service providers, but it sucks for the rest of us. It probably wouldn't be so bad except that a large percentage of Singaporeans don't know when to use their phones appropriately. It horrifies me how many educated, otherwise well-bred people will talk on their phones in movie theatres, at business seminars, and in fine restaurants without a second thought. And never mind the even greater number of people who refuse to turn off their phones or pagers in these events or at least use a silent alert mode. In Tokyo, I have seen more than once a person who received a call on the train and deferred the call because he was actually embarrassed to disturb the people around him. While that's a little overboard, Singaporeans could take a lesson in appropriate places and times to use their phones.
2. Public Transportation. Did this appear in the list of things we love? Well, as much as we love public transportation, there are plenty of things to dislike about it too. Crowded buses with pushy passengers, some bus drivers who shouldn't even be allowed to ride a bicycle, let alone drive a bus, and most recently, people on trains who don't give up their seat to an 8 month pregnant woman (it happens more often than you think).
3. TCS (Singapore Television). Okay, maybe this is not completely fair. TCS does produce some pretty good quality Chinese language shows. But what TCS has done with English television is practically a crime. Since we've lived here, I can say that I have watched only one locally produced show that I enjoyed ("The Donny Lee Show", a comedy sketch show reminiscent of "The Muppet Show"). The quality of the American shows they import has improved, but in most time slots, is still a joke. The quality of Cable television is not much better either. In Singapore, there is a cable television station devoted completely to Infomercials. No joke, I'm afraid.
4. "Short Man Syndrome". In the US, there is a condition called "Short Man Syndrome" where a man of small stature talks and acts like someone much bigger to compensate for his lack of height (see Ross Perot). I am liberally applying this syndrome to the country (particularly the government) of Singapore. Everyday in the media, we are bombarded with how Singapore will be the "best in this" and "world class that". It's fine for a country to have lofty goals, but when you have to hear about it everyday, it begins to lose it's effect. Any educated person stops buying that crap after a week or two of hearing about it. Singapore, show a little humility. Maybe then the world can take your potential more seriously.
5. Censorship. One of the ways we are reminded that Singapore is not a democracy is in the way things are censored. After two years, I have yet to figure out how a country can call itself enlightened and keep up a policy of censorship that makes no sense. As the world evolves more and more into a "Global Village", it becomes more and more ridiculous to keep this up. Consider this: violence and language in movies can go nearly uncensored, even on television, but a hint of sex or homosexuality is cut in a second.
6. Taxi Service. When we first came to Singapore, I thought the taxi service in Singapore was excellent. As time went by, either the service deteriorated, or my eyes were opened to the truth. The truth is that getting a taxi in Singapore when you need one can be one of the most frustrating experiences of your life. The policies that govern taxis don't help the situation; currently taxis are not considered public transportation and are therefore not exempt from the fees incurred from entering some of the prime traffic districts. Therefore taxi drivers have devised their own ways to avoid paying these fees, at the cost of the convenience of the riders. I'm not blaming the drivers for this; they have to earn a living. But the solution is pretty simple, in my humble opinion: define taxis as public transportation.
7. Customer Service (or lack thereof). Entrepreneurs, take note! Want to make tons of money in Singapore? Offer a service to businesses to train their employees on good customer service. The market is huge, since 90% of the places you go, customer service is either lacking or downright non-existent. It is common to go to an upscale department store, purchase an item, and have not a single employee in the store say a word to you. I have been followed around stores by employees who don't greet or speak to me. I have dealt with Customer Service departments that are so inflexible about their policies, they give the appearance of not even caring about the customer. Singapore needs some help in this area, and from the looks of things, it's not going to come from inside the country.
8. Courtesy Campaign. It's true that Singaporeans need to be more courteous to one another. Many of our dislikes about Singapore stem from the fact that Singaporeans in general have a lack of courtesy. We believe this is fostered by the "Kiasu" (Me first) attitude that is not just tolerated here, but often encouraged. However, the belief that the government can teach people courtesy is outrageous. Courtesy comes when people believe that the rights of others are equal to or greater than their own. What is actually being taught, though indirectly, is to survive in this competitive world, you must be number one, and your rights to be number one are greater than the rights of others. Again, a little humility goes a long way here, and if the government wants to teach courtesy, it should start with some humility itself.
I should point out that the US isn't doing much better in this regard. Since the 80's, this spirit of "Me First" and individual rights has run rampant in the States, and we can see it taking it's toll on American society today. There is no reason for Singapore to follow in it's footsteps however.
Finding your dream home
Women’s choice: Finding your dream home
Women always know what they want, especially when it comes to their dream home, says research by iProperty.com Singapore
Women always know what they want, especially when it comes to their dream home. In the past few years, homebuyers have been spoilt for choice with real estate developments cropping up faster than ever in Singapore. Although, sometimes having too many options makes it even harder to decide on a dream home.
Image provided by iProperty.com Singapore
The biggest mistakes homebuyers make is emotional buying. It wouldn’t be far off the mark to say that women could be more prone to an emotional purchase, even when it comes to the biggest purchase you’ll ever make. So leave those tingly sensations and feel-good hunger in your purse when you head out to find for your dream home!
Yet, property is personal business, and every home buyer wants to invest in a fabulous abode that speaks to her personality, lifestyle and taste. Are you in the market and just don’t know where to begin? Here are some home buying tips to help you match your lifestyle:
BAG A BARGAIN
If you’re in the property market for a bargain that you hope to look at as an investment rather than long-term place to call home, you’ve certainly got your work cut out for you. Prices are at a premium, and one could wait for a cooling off window to get in, or you could consider a HDB. It’s certainly a safe and long-term investment. Simei, Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio are the most sought after areas among new PRs, and the demand is pushing rental prices up, up, up.
30 & SINGLE
You’re young, you’re single, you work, you travel and you want to be where the action is. Central districts that fringe the CDB are hot right now, but be prepared to compromise on space. A recent article by iProperty.com.sg described how shoebox apartments are becoming the investment vehicle of choice. Average apartment sizes are shrinking from about 1249 square feet to 721 square feet. The good news: so are prices. Look in the pockets in between and you might find more bang for your buck. Areas like Queensway, Alexandra and further along East Coast such as Siglap offer modest yet new condos you’ll definitely be happy with.
WORKING MUM
Image provided by iProperty.com Singapore
The key to balancing work and a family is convenience and amenities such as schools, child care centres, supermarkets and transport. Keep your eyes peeled for the things that make your life easier, as well as other family lifestyle features like parks, family restaurants, cinemas and shopping centres to keep the whole family entertained on the weekends.
21ST CENTURY ENTREPRENEUR
You need a space that is part home, part office and the cleverness of design to keep those two areas separate. If you can afford it, the obvious choice is the SOHO apartments in Chinatown. If not, you’ll need to keep an eye out for a central location so that you can nip out to meetings at a moment’s notice. If you can find a double storey apartment, that would be a real bonus.
HOMEMAKER
You have lots of interests, hobbies – and need enough space to do them in. Start with the kitchen, and look for an open plan kitchen, as they are the ones that tend to have more space. Plus, open plan kitchens make for interactive environments. You may also want a spare room to house your hobbies, and a home with lots of storage cupboards. You’re not fussed over location which is good news, since you’ll need to free up your dollars to afford space!
RETIRED LIFESTYLE
It’s time to put your feet up, take a step back from the hustle and bustle of the city, surround yourself with peace and tranquility, and perhaps even reconnect with nature. The heartland districts around Sembawang are fantastic for being close to nature. But if you like the sea breeze and salty air, than perhaps Punggol is more your cup of tea.
Albeit pricey, Singapore offers a vast range of properties to suit different needs and lifestyles. Although, with so many areas to choose from, property hunting could turn into a wild goose chase. So make your property search easier by going online to websites. You’ll be able to browse property listings, find out about new developments and compare projects and prices to help you narrow your wish list and jump on the homeowner bandwagon.
iProperty.com Singapore is one of Singapore’s leading real estate websites. Using the site, you can rent or buy apartments, condominiums, landed properties, commercial property, hdb flats or new condominium projects. You can also search for specialist agents using its Agent Directory.
Ref:herworldplus
